Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckalba’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckalba’, characterized by its inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and mounded plant habit; early flowering habit; and excellent post-production longevity.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalba.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Eckalba’.

The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts withdesirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-productionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckabish, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 11,200, as the female, or seed, parent, with the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. cultivar 786, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.11,123, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Eckalba wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Encinitas,Calif., in December, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on itsbright red-colored flower bracts.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., sinceJanuary, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettiaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Eckalba’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Eckalba’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.

2. Dark green-colored leaves.

3. Uniform and mounded plant habit.

4. Early flowering; natural season flower maturity date is late Novemberfor plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 8.5 weeks.

5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia are most similar to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Eckabish. However, plants differ primarily fromplants of the female parent in flower bract coloration as plants of thecultivar Eckabish have light red-colored flower bracts. In addition,plants of the new Poinsettia are larger and more vigorous than plants ofthe cultivar Eckabish.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar 786, primarily in flower bract coloration as plantsof the cultivar 786 have dark red-colored flower bracts. In addition,plants of the new Poinsettia flower earlier and have sightly largerflower bracts than plants of the cultivar 786.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Eckalba’ grown in a 16.5-cm container.

The photograph at top of the second sheet comprises a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Eckalba’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves and flower bracts of ‘Eckalba’ (left) and ‘Eckabish’(right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during theautumn and winter under commercial practice in a polycarbonate-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures about 24 to 29° C., night temperaturesabout 19° C., and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plantswere grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched once. Plants were flowered undernatural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 17.5weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailedbotanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalba.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckabish, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,200.

Male parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar 786, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,123.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20 to 22° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 24° C.

Root description.—Thick, fibrous and freely-branching.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Inverted triangle; top of plant mounded.

Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit. Moderately vigorous tovigorous.

Plant height.—About 30 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 46 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Quantity: About five lateral branchesdevelop after pinching. Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 5.5 mm.Internode length: About 2.75 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth;glabrous. Color: 146A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Quantity of leavesper lateral branch: About nine. Length: About 12.5 cm. Width: About 10cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; withirregular lobing, about 5 to 9 lobes. Venation pattern: Pinnate.Texture: Upper surface: Glabrous. Lower surface: Slightly pubescent.Surface: Slightly rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat. Orientation: Horizontalto slightly drooping. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 147B. Youngfoliage, lower surface: 147C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:Darker than 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation,upper and lower surfaces: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color:59A.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs ofcyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia. Oneinflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are not fragrant. Flowerspersistent.

Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern Hemisphere. Flowerinitiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod conditions.Early flowering, response time, about 8.5 weeks; natural season flowermaturity date is late November for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.

Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia maintain goodsubstance and bract color for about four weeks under interiorconditions.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 24 cm. Height (depth): About 5 cm.

Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 35. Length, largestbracts: About 11.2 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 9 cm. Shape: Ovateto elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate to obtuse. Margin: Entire;with irregular lobing, about 3 to 5 lobes. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Glabrous; velvety. Surface: Slightly rugose. Aspect: Mostlyflat. Orientation: Horizontal to slightly drooping. Venation pattern:Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: 53A.Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: 53B. Fully developedbracts, upper surface: Closest to between 53B and 46B; color does notfade with subsequent development. Fully developed bracts, lower surface:53C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color.Bract petiole: Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 53B.

Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 22. Diameter of cyathia cluster:Open, about 5 by 5.5 cm. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: Immature: 144A. Mature: 144B to 144C. Peduncle: Length:About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostlyupright. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 144B. Stamens: Quantity percyathium: At least 20. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1mm. Anther color: 59A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 14A.Pistils: None observed. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One. Size:About 4 mm by 5 mm. Color: 23A.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toPoinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercialconditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named‘Eckalba’, as illustrated and described.